Ecologically sustainable conversion of the monastery/ guesthouse in Leipzig

The Dominican monastery in Leipzig-Wahren was the only branch of the order in the former GDR. It is thanks to Father Gordian Landwehr OP, in particular, that the order was able to establish itself and survive in Leipzig despite resistance from the socialist regime. He was a liberal-minded person and made no secret of this in his sermons, which were critical of the regime. Thus, the monastery and the parish of St. Albert in Leipzig-Wahren were places of free opinion-forming and expression in an unjust regime characterized by a lack of freedom and surveillance. In a way, Father Gordian felt obliged to follow the example of his fellow friar, Aurelius Arkenau OP, who, during the Nazi era in Leipzig, secretly sheltered many critics of the regime and Jews, saving their lives by organizing false documents and escape routes. He was posthumously awarded the title “Righteous Among the Nations” for his actions.

Since the convent and guest house “Aurelius Arkenau” were built around the turn of the millennium, our religious order has been doing its best to make the monastery and guest house available for church and non-church events, thus conveying the atmosphere of Christian hospitality and spirituality to a wide range of people and institutions through a place shaped by monastic life. In this way, we want to bear witness to the message of the gospel as a Christian spiritual center in an urban and secular environment, among other things through our hospitality.

To this end, we as Dominicans are investing a great deal in this location, both personally and materially, and we want to continue to do so in the future and adapt our operations to meet the growing expectations in various areas. However, in order to run the monastery and guesthouse in an economically responsible and sustainable way, we rely on donations and grants, because as a religious order we do not receive any funds from church taxes or similar. In the medium and long term, we would like to convert the monastery to sustainable energy use, build additional rooms for guest accommodation and also further develop the monastery garden into a sustainable and ecological living space. If you would like to support one of these projects with your donation or a bequest (inheritance), we are grateful for any amount. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. The point of contact is Father Lucas Wieshuber.